There is a growing need for clothing with a fit that can be selectively adjusted by the wearer for various activities, needs, desires, and/or moods. Currently, clothing is produced with a fit adapted for a particular activity, desire, need and/or mood. For many activities and in daily life, individuals wear clothing that is designed to be tight fitting or loose fitting with no option for the wearer to adjust the fit of the clothing according to desire, activity, and/or need. Existing clothing does not provide the wearer the option to adjust the clothing from form fitting when necessary or desired to loose fitting, or to an intermediate fit when necessary or desired. This creates a number of disadvantages as clothing that is designed for one activity may have a fit that is inappropriate, uncomfortable, unnecessary, unsuitable, or too restrictive throughout the duration of the activity, for other activities, or for the need or mood of the wearer in general.
For example, bicyclists often wear specially adapted shorts that are tight and form fitting to decrease wind drag and to provide other benefits. Although bike shorts may be suitable when biking, the tight, form fit of the bike shorts may not be necessary, desirable, comfortable, or healthy when the wearer is not biking. However, at certain times, such as when socializing, in public environments, and/or participating in other athletic activities, tight fitting shorts and/or garments may not be desired or needed, even when biking. In contrast, other types of clothes may be intentionally loose fitting for certain activities but immodest or entangling in other situations. For example, walking shorts generally have a loose hem for ventilation and comfort, but the loose hem may not provide adequate privacy when the individual is seated. The loose hem can also entangle or interfere with movement of the wearer when cycling, performing yoga, rock climbing, swimming, running, dancing or undertaking other activities. Because of this, individuals frequently must choose between purchasing and carrying extra clothes to change into after completing an activity or, unfortunately, remaining in clothing not suited for a second activity. For example, after completing an activity, such as cycling, the individual can either change clothes or remain in tight, form fitting clothing, which is uncomfortable for the wearer and for the public in general. If the individual starts with a causal activity and the second activity is more active and suited for clothing with a tighter fit, the individual must again change clothes or participate in the second activity while remaining in undesirably loose fitting clothing. To adjust loose clothing, some individuals may be compelled to use external straps to gather in loose material. For example, individuals who ride bicycles are known to place straps around the open hems of their shorts and/or pants legs to prevent the hems from become entangled with the bicycle chain and to decrease wind resistance.
Accordingly, there is an unmet need for a system and method to adjust the fit of clothing at one or more locations from a first fit to a second fit and intermediate fits between the first and second fits.